Let’s Celebrate
(RSV) And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Luke 22:14-16
Jesus said, “I have earnestly desired for this Passover meal...”. This phrase seems so out of place with all the other phrases of Jesus during this last Passover period. Phrases like “..may this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” Or Jesus foretelling His death to the disciples. Or His stating that ALL will deny him. Most of the topics were sorrowful, sad, dark, and about suffering and death, but here is a phrase which connotes anticipation, excitement, enjoyment, and pleasure. Did Luke or the translators use the wrong word? I would have to say not necessarily. In the midst of sorrow and suffering, there are always moments of profound joy and pleasure. In my experience working with those who are weeks or months near death, this was always the case. Moments of genuine laughter, tears of joy, and parties of celebration. Suffering and sorrow does that. It juxtaposes opposite emotions during the time.
The Passover was the most meaningful Jewish celebration remembering God’s deliverance of their enslaved nation from physical oppression and suffering. And here is Jesus celebrating Passover in anticipation of God’s deliverance of humanity from spiritual slavery. Wow! That’s something to celebrate. And today we partake in communion or the Eucharist to celebrate His delivering us from the chains of spiritual death ...and we are instructed to do it until His return when we will celebrate deliverance from physical slavery and death this old world requires of us. So much to celebrate.
It strikes me afresh and anew that deep celebration and joy requires us to go through suffering, just as Jesus did. No one likes it. Jesus didn’t. We all want to get out of it, just like Jesus asked that “this cup be withdrawn from Him”. But deep, genuine, character building joy
so often comes after suffering. Why? I don’t know. Do I like it? No. But it just is.
Here is Jesus, starting His ministry at a wedding where He turned water into wine. He was celebrating. And here He is celebrating the most meaningful Jewish celebration supper - The Passover feast - at the end of His ministry. The start and the finish were book-ended with celebration. I can just hear Him saying, “Let’s celebrate life whenever we can. Let’s party!” And He invites us to celebrate with him through tears, or laughs. Whatever state we find ourselves in. He calls us to celebrate with Him.